ERS - Linkage - Summer 2018

Summer 2018

Our Financial Architect A tribute to CFO Paul Scheper

2018

Making a Difference

Table of Contents Making a Difference ERS & ECH Earn Workplace Honors ...................... 3 Meet the Board ........................... 4

Features Tribute to Paul Scheper ............... 6 MPL Master Plan Progress ........ 10 The Healing Power of Music ..... 12 Our Ways of Working ............... 14

Walking the Walk

ERS Board of Directors JoAnn Hagopian, Chair Dora Anim, Ben Blemker, W. Thomas Cooper, The Rev. Darren Elin, The Rev. John Fritschner, Gregory Hopkins, The Rev. Canon John Koepke, William C. Knodel, The Rev. David Lowry, Marge Malone, Gerron McKnight, Tom Ottenjohn, Jennifer Payne, Thomas Regan, Dr. Robert Reed, Rich Setterberg, Gates Smith, Barbara Talbot, Randal C. Young

ERS Foundation Board of Directors William C. Knodel, Chair Richard N. Adams, Ben Blemker, Jon Boss, Tate Greenwald, Laura R. P. Lamb, Robin Smith, Dan Witten, Ellen Zemke

Donor Spotlight ........................ 19

We Welcome Your Comments The Linkage Editor Episcopal Retirement Services 3870 Virginia Avenue • Cincinnati, Ohio 45227 (513) 271-9610 • info@erslife.org

Great Gatsby Gala ........ Back Page

Editor: Kristin Davenport; Editing Supervisor: Bryan Reynolds

Bingocize at ECH ...................... 16 Refresh Your Soul 2018 ............ 18

ON THE COVER Paul Scheper is pictured with residents at Walnut Court, an Affordable Living by ERS community that is part of his legacy. Paul worked passionately to put resident needs above bottom-line demands. Photograph by Gary Kessler.

ERS Communities & Services Premier Retirement Communities Deupree House, Marjorie P. Lee, and Episcopal Church Home

Linkage is Available Online To better serve you, Linkage magazine is available via e-mail and on the Episcopal Retirement Services website at EpiscopalRetirement.com. If you would like to be removed from the Linkage mailing list, please call (513) 271-9610.

Make A Donation Online For your convenience, donations are accepted online at EpiscopalRetirement.com/donate.

Linkage is a resource to address issues and interests of older adults, providing a link between ERS’s programs and the community. Since 1951, Episcopal Retirement Services (ERS) has dedicated itself to improving the lives of older adults from all faiths through innovative, quality living environments and in-home and community-based services delivered by experienced and compassionate professionals.

Affordable Living Communities 27 locations in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. For more information on these communities visit AffordableLivingbyERS.com.

Community Services Deupree Meals On Wheels Living Well Senior Solutions Parish Health Ministry 2 Linkage Summer 2018

Like us on Follow our blog at blog.episcopalretirement.com © Copyright 2018 by Episcopal Retirement Services, Inc. Nothing shown or written may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the editors.

Linkage is published by Cincinnati Magazine on behalf of Episcopal Retirement Services.

Making a Difference

Top Honors for Staff Engagement in Cincinnati and Louisville

Our employees make ERS a Top Workplace. By Kristin Davenport

2018

Janet Pettit Westrich with residents from Madison Villa.

Photograph by Gary Kessler

T

his spring, ERS was pleased and proud to be nominated for workplace engagement award programs in both Cincinnati and Louisville. Our employees were invited to complete a survey and measure the caliber of our culture compared to other companies.

Cincinnati.com and the Cincinnati Enquirer announced in June that ERS had won Top Workplace honors for the ninth straight time.

In August, Episcopal Church Home (ECH) will be honored by Business First as a “Best Place to

“My biggest inspiration at ERS is the people. I am very fortunate to be surrounded by talented, creative, mission-driven people.”

—Janet Westrich, development project manager for Affordable Living by ERS Work in Louisville.” This is the fi rst time being nominated for ECH, and the fi rst time being named a winner.

Our culture at ERS emphasizes serving colleagues as well as our residents. We pitch in to help each other, not only with professional tasks but in each other’s personal lives as well. Our core values apply to every employee, whether they’re providing direct resident care or they are one of the many members of our support staff that keep the mission running smoothly.

Summer 2018 Linkage 3

Making a Difference

Meet the Board

E

RS Board members share their professional expertise to help the organization succeed, and to improve the lives of older adults. This summer, the Board will explore new approaches to deliver the ERS mission. It plans to perform a competitive analysis, benchmark other institutions, and receive input from key stakeholders. “ERS will maintain its strategic commitment to our Continuing Care Retirement Community and Affordable Living Communities, while looking for innovation for the ‘next big thing’ in service to older adults,” says JoAnn Hagopian, Chair of the Board.

ERS welcomes Barbara Talbot, Dora Anim, and Gerron L. McKnight, all serving their first term on the Board. By Whitney Harrod Morris | Photographs by Gary Kessler

Dora Anim Board Member Occupation: Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) Chief Operating Officer Areas of expertise: Strategic planning and change improvement How did you get involved? I met Laura Lamb during my time at The Health Collaborative. When I moved to my current role at GCF, she reached out telling me she had a spot on the Board.

Why do you volunteer on the Board? I feel I can be helpful to the organization and also learn. I’m excited to help make ERS a resource for the whole community.

Most rewarding part? Building relationships and learning the processes of the business. I’m impressed with the culture of ERS. Residents say they’re well taken care of, and they like having independence.

How do you spend your free time? I cook, travel, and read. I live by the motto, “work hard, play hard.”

4 Linkage Summer 2018

Making a Difference

Gerron L. McKnight

Barbara Talbot

Board Member, Personnel Committee

Alternate Resident Representative

Occupation: Labor and Employment Counsel, Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Council at The Christ Hospital Health Network

Former occupation: Deputy Director of Income Development and Area Executive Director of American Cancer Society (ACS) Florida.

Areas of expertise: Advising on HR, contract issues, diversity and inclusion initiatives, mentoring

Areas of expertise: Recruiting, training, and motivating volunteers

Something people might not know about you: I’m a member of the Board of Trustees of Cincinnati Works; the Cincinnati Works YP Board; the Concours d’Elegance Advisory Board; and the Executive Team of the Professional Leadership Network.

Something people might not know about you: I helped establish an annual tennis Calcutta (funded on donations alone), which raised $2.5 million over 10 years for the ACS. I was also chosen as one of Greater Miami’s outstanding young women.

Why do you volunteer on the Board? I’ve been working on alleviating poverty and providing opportunities for the less fortunate since high school. I was impressed with the inclusion work for those with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

How long have you been with ERS? I’ve lived at Deupree House for four years. I served as resident council chairman in 2017.

Most rewarding part? Hearing firsthand how truly grateful residents are for their homes, the services we provide, and their ERS family Favorite destination in Cincinnati: The Hannaford bar in Covington, in which I have a small ownership stake

Why do you volunteer on the Board? I want to be both a voice to the board members and to the residents, so each party can gain a better understanding of the other.

How do you spend your free time? I work on The New York Times Sunday crossword, read, and participate in Deupree House activities.

Summer 2018 Linkage 5

Photograph TK

“I have so enjoyed working at ERS for the past 36 years. Thank you to all who have helped make this job such a great experience for me. I will truly miss being here and you.” —Paul Scheper, pictured with the ERS Accounting and Development staff: Janet Westrich, Elizabeth Ison, Dell Carter, Kathy Alsept, Stacy Black, Paul, Cissy Cornine, Katie Price, Annie Roettker, and Hazel Dozier. Seated: Jeremy Caiarelli, Justine Gorder, Jen Rapien, Diane Schneiderman, Steven Cromwell.

Tribute to Paul Scheper

Beloved “Financial Architect” of ERS Paul Scheper, CFO, retires after 36 years of service.

By Elizabeth Miller Wood

Photograph by Gary Kessler

T

hings looked a bit different at ERS when Paul Scheper accepted the CFO position in 1982.

The accounting department consisted solely of a resident volunteer and a bookkeeper. There were no computers; all accounting and medical records were kept manually. And ERS had only one affordable living community to its name.

Under Paul’s passion, leadership, and tenacity, much has changed—all for the better.

As the financial lynchpin for the exponential growth of ERS’s affordable living portfolio, Paul oversaw the funding for 25 affordable living communities, bringing the company’s grand total to 26 such communities. Over the course of his tenure, ERS has grown from serving 200 low-income senior residents to more than 2,000. All the while, he implemented infrastructure to set ERS up for a prosperous future of continued growth and service. He was driven by a mission to not just create “housing” for low-income seniors, but “living” environments that “enable residents to live an enriched life,” he says.

A consummate team player, Paul deflects praise back to his talented and dedicated team for the progress made on his watch, under his leadership. It’s “the people,” he says, that have kept him around for 36 years and have made his workdays fun and rewarding. But his impressive tenure also speaks to his loyalty and allegiance to an organization whose values he truly esteemed.

Paul has earned a reputation for overcoming hurdles, persisting against the odds, and finding creative avenues to advance the ERS mission. Had he

not become an accountant, he says, he would have happily become an architect. “I enjoy the challenge of making things work, especially with the financing of affordable living communities,” he says. “It seldom works the first time.”

Such was the case for the Walnut Court community, a project that almost didn’t come to fruition due to a lack of space and funding for a community room—an essential amenity for the ERS vision of fostering community. But Paul persevered, seeking funding for seven years before securing a $750,000 grant to build a community room. True to his humble nature, Paul calls the success “dumb luck,” but his colleagues know his tenacity, creativity, and vision are much to credit.

As the manager of the Partners in Care Fund—a fund that assists residents with supplies not covered by Medicare and Medicaid, like walkers and hearing aids—Paul’s name has become synonymous with serving residents’ needs with open hands and a generous heart. “I’ve been fortunate to be the one to look at the requests coming through, and I would say I have never found an unreasonable request,” he recalls.

He’ll be remembered for his servant leadership, steadfast commitment to the ERS mission, and propensity to sneak M&Ms from the communal candy jar throughout the workday. “I have a very big sweet tooth,” he admits good-naturedly.

As he embarks on his next chapter into retirement, he looks forward to spending time with his family, traveling the country, and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity.

Summer 2018 Linkage 7

Tribute to Paul Scheper

Reflections on a Servant Leader’s Life Staff and board members talk about Paul Scheper’s positive impact on ERS and send their warm wishes for his retirement.

“Paul is unique. He brought ERS intelligent financial advice. He kept us solvent and able to take on needed projects. At the same time, Paul is a compassionate, faithful person. Whether one was a resident or staff, Paul’s compass leads him to the right, personcentered decision. This loving husband and parent is a great human being. I am lucky to have worked with him.”

—Mike Krug, Former ERS Board Chair and Board member Paul & Mary Lee Scheper

“Paul has been the most amazing mentor! He is always willing to teach, answer questions, and tell me the same thing one more time, and often many times, but he has never once said, ‘I told you that already!’ He is interested in every aspect of our business and is so quick at grasping concepts. It seems that no matter the question, he will help figure it out, from something about finances to architecture or ministry. I will greatly miss his support and loyalty.

I will also miss our planning sessions at Frisch’s!”

—Kathy Ison-Lind, Vice President, Affordable Living by ERS and In-Home Services

8 Linkage Summer 2018

Tribute to Paul Scheper “Over his career, Paul has exemplified the fundamentals of good decision making, creativity when faced with complex problems, and staying true to oneself during challenging times.

He has set such a good example for others throughout the organization during his 36-year career, which has helped to define ERS’ culture. We surely wouldn’t be where we are today without Paul.” —Laura R. P. Lamb, President and CEO of ERS

Photographs by Gary Kessler

“Paul had a gift of being a talented financial leader, and really having a heart for our mission. Paul had the people we serve, both residents and staff, as his top priority. He taught me every day what it means to be a true servant leader. Your work has made the lives of so many richer!”

—Ginny Uehlin, Vice President, Residential Housing and Healthcare for ERS

“My congratulations to Paul on his retirement! We celebrate his many contributions to ERS— his deep technical knowledge, his financial stewardship, his commitment to the culture and future generations, and his service to the Board. Wishing him many happy years of retirement with his lucky family!

We will miss him!” —JoAnn Hagopian, ERS Board Chair Summer 2018 Linkage 9

MPL Master Plan

Marjorie P. Lee Master Plan Reaching the Halfway Point Changes reflect person-centered philosophy. By Jennifer Hogan Redmond

Residents, families, staff, and guests are already enjoying the reimagined Shaw entrance. The lobby has been named in honor of former resident Tom Craig in appreciation for his gift to the MPL Capital Campaign.

10 Linkage Summer 2018

the reaction from those who have viewed the new spaces. “They’re blown out of the water,” she says, adding that the changes to come are equally exciting.

More privacy, fresh spaces The first floor of Shaw Building has been converted from assisted living to rehabilitation space, featuring more private, spacious suites. Therapy space has doubled overall and the traditional nursing home rooms are gone. “When you’re recovering from a hip fracture or you’ve been in the hospital and you’re just on your way to home, typically you want private accommodations so you can spend time healing and feeling better,” Laura says.

Second-floor rooms in Shaw are now dedicated to residents who need skilled, around-the-clock nursing care. Again, these renovated rooms are

Photograph by Gary Kessler

W

hen Charles Lee established Marjorie P. Lee (MPL) in 1963, he fulfilled his wife’s dying wish: to create a home-like environment where older adults would receive quality care and live with freedom, choice, and purpose.

Every decade or so, Episcopal Retirement Services (ERS) substantially renovates the community that bears Mrs. Lee’s name with this mission—and current or future market demands—in mind.

The sixth MPL master plan is now entering its second half. Residents will move into the Shaw building as soon as inspectors approve the renovations. Work will then begin on Lee Gardens and Amstein House, then return to the Victoria Building.

The completed changes have been more than well received by residents and staff. “It has been incredible,” says Laura Lamb, ERS President and CEO, of

MPL Master Plan private and large, with views of residential Shaw Avenue or the garden and grounds. During the Lee Gardens renovation, some rooms will be converted to semi-private to accommodate current residents.

The lobby and shared living areas have been updated to be more conducive to visiting with family or simply having a cup of coffee or reading the paper.

Other changes include fully accessible bathrooms, complete with sliding barn doors to eliminate space constrictions and hazards of swinging doors; updated laminate flooring; functional and convenient cabinetry; and flat-screen televisions. The entire campus now offers wireless Internet.

Reconfigured for greater freedom ERS believes that seniors should have more choices in their daily life. These renovations have removed some staff space and given it back to residents, further advancing this person-centered care philosophy, says Laura. Dining and activity spaces are now separate and multiple lounges invite residents to watch TV, play cards, or visit with family and friends wherever they like.

Photograph by Gary Kessler

Person-centered atmosphere With an environment that encourages choice comes

greater opportunity for residents to take part in what is now more like a household. ERS strives to foster individuality. “We don’t do so much for them that they lose their purpose,” Laura explains.

“Patients and residents are encouraged to be part of their care and the life of MPL.” Such engagement “may be watering the plants or delivering mail or checking up on their neighbors,” she adds. When the MPL campus renovations are complete next year, the environment will be more comfortable and feel more like home for all residents.

Brick-and-mortar align with care Charles Lee took pride in the fact that Marjorie P. Lee was a state-of-the-art community, “not just in Cincinnati but in this region,” Laura says. He had a vision of what he wanted and he took great effort to achieve that from the outset.

“As I look at the outcome of the sixth master plan and the space that we are opening, I can say that we are absolutely state-of-the-art for today’s time and the type of residents we serve…it’s really fun to make sure that we as staff of ERS are advancing Charles Lee’s vision,” Laura says. Quality care remains a standard, but now the community will enjoy what she deems “the whole package.”

MPL staff and residents got to preview the bright and open space in the new short-stay suites.

Summer 2018 Linkage 11

Person-Centered Memory Care

The Healing Power of Music The Java Memory Care program allows residents to share memories of their past and enjoy a community spirit. By Kathleen Doane

T

discussions and foster support as the participants interact. The support they frequently show for each other is proof that people are often happiest when helping one another. Those moments of community during Java gatherings add meaning and purpose to the lives of those who need memory-care support.

On a Tuesday morning in late May, five residents of Deupree Cottages and Java leader Deacon Fred McGavran gather around in a room off the spacious living room/kitchen area. After an opening song, “Hello, Hello,” a small wind chime is set in motion and passed from one person to the next, followed by a handshake that goes around the table. Participants then settle on a theme for the day, “Getting to Know You.” Throughout the next half hour, Fred poses questions around the theme, giving each person a chance to add to the conversation. When he asks, “What can each of you tell us about yourself that most of

Photographs by Gary Kessler

he power of music to spark memories and camaraderie is undeniable. Music can trigger thoughts and connections seemingly lost, which is the basis for an innovative therapy called Java Memory Care that Episcopal Retirement Services offers to its memory care residents.

Angelo Puopolo, the chaplain for Marjorie P. Lee Retirement Community, worked with staff three years ago to incorporate Java Memory Care into their suite of memory-support programs. He, along with three other ERS chaplains, host Java Memory Care get-togethers several times a week with residents of Marjorie P. Lee’s Morris and Kirby households and Deupree Cottages on the Deupree House campus. “We have such a good time that the staff often hang around and join in,” Angelo says with a laugh.

Each Java Memory Care session has a theme that uses readings, photos, and group singing to spark

Deacon Fred McGavran and residents enjoy meaningful emotional engagement prompted by the Java Memory Care sessions.

12 Linkage Summer 2018

Person-Centered Memory Care

Photographs by Gary Kessler

“It is a joy to see our residents interact and share with each other so openly,” says Deacon Fred McGavran.

us don’t know about you?” a small lady who has sat quietly speaks up: “I once worked as a reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.” Her contribution elicits surprise and admiration from the others.

Fred then hands out song sheets, selects a CD, and everyone enthusiastically sings along with the 1950s Rodgers & Hammerstein classic from The King and I, “Getting to Know You.” The song is familiar, a positive link to the past.

Toward the end of every session, each person is asked to name a special gift they have to offer others. When a couple participants struggle with the answer, others chime in to say what they think is special about the person. It’s community spirit in action. Every Java Memory Care session ends with a final song and affirmation.

Angelo says that Java Memory Care allows people to look back on their lives and share memories, usually of their youth or when they were young adults.

“They always lament when our time is over,” he says.

He admits he feels the same way.

“They may not remember me every time, but we always have such a good time. It’s the highlight of my week.”

Living Well Memory Support Suite of Therapies SAIDO Learning IN2L (It’s Never 2 Late) Inspiring Minds Through Art Positive Approach to Care Music & Memory 360 Wellbeing Java Music Grey Matters For details, visit episcopalretirement.com/LWMS

Summer 2018 Linkage 13

ERS Core Values

Our Ways of Working This is the second story in a series that illustrates our Core Values. “Integrity” is our second value and through our Ways of Working, we act under the highest ethical standards with honesty, trustworthiness, transparency, and sincerity. By Molly de Jesus

T

he Deupree Meals On Wheels team works diligently to provide delicious, healthy meals, delivered each week nearly 500 clients in our region. According to Kathy Ison-Lind, VP of Affordable Living and In-Home Services, “the good work of the Meals On Wheels team demonstrates a dedication to ministry, as an expression of God’s love in the world for all people we serve and those with whom we work.”

ERS values the integrity of the Meals On Wheels team. It is expressed through their active service. They keep their focus centered on our clients who rely on receiving meals and also enjoy 14 Linkage Summer 2018

a visit with a staff member or volunteer driver. The team manages our business by using best practices, expertise, and collaboration to deliver a projected 138,000 meals in 2018.

The Department of Agriculture, the Council On Aging, and the Board of Health all measure the integrity of the team’s efforts through annual audits.

For the past four years, each of these audits has awarded the team a 100 percent rating. They evaluate everything, including route sheets for proof of delivery, client files, volunteer files, employee files, the policy and procedure manual, temperature logs, kitchen production, and truck inspection.

Photograph by Gary Kessler

Deupree Meals On Wheels is a partnership between our passionate staff and more than 60 dedicated volunteers who bring so much more than food—they bring friendly faces, helping hands, and compassionate care.

Photographs by Molly de Jesus

ERS Core Values

Pam Jones: “We deliver meals and often stay for a short visit. The clients can become a part of the family.”

Jen McFarland: “It is so fulfilling to go out and see the people we are serving. It’s the heart of what we do.”

Mary Mitchell: “I am fortunate to be a part of a great team. We are so proud to make a difference in someone else’s life.” Maria Cabell: “We listen to the needs of our clients by reading their menu choices and delivering what they want.”

Willie Brooks, John Jarmon, and Harold Walker. John: “There is no greater honor than to have an elder invite you into their home and trust you to cook their meal. We value their trust. It is sacred.”

The quality of our service is entirely dependent on our staff. The meals are prepared to meet the distinct needs and preferences of our clients. This is a unique element of our program and honors being personcentered through our work in the community.

Meals On Wheels provides local seniors with life-enriching, and in some cases, life-saving services. Many seniors face the threat of hunger due to limitations with walking, breathing, and meal preparation. “Very often we are the first point of contact for a person recovering from a significant health crisis,” says Tsippy Gottlieb, Director of Deupree Meals On Wheels. “For them, shopping

for and cooking nutritious meals has become an immediate need. We partner with family members and provide additional support and services to give these seniors an excellent chance of leading an independent and fulfilling life at home.”

If you would like to receive a copy of our new Values and Ways of Working, please call the Support Services Office at 513-271-9610. Visit episcopalretirement.com/values to view or download a copy.

Summer 2018 Linkage 15

Walking the Walk

Bingocize Motivates Residents, Inspires Students

By Jennifer Hogan Redmond

L

aughter, movement, and friendly competition are the trademarks of a unique and promising program offered at Episcopal Church Home (ECH) in Louisville. An energetic group of residents from all over the campus engage in Bingocize twice a week, frequently facilitated by students from Spalding University.

This innovative program, a project funded by a Kentucky Civil Money Penalty Grant, is designed to help seniors improve their overall physical and cognitive health while building relationships with young adults. And according to ECH participants, Bingocize is a whole lot of fun!

16 Linkage Summer 2018

How It Evolved Bingocize was created by exercise physiologist K. Jason Crandall, Ph.D., associate professor at the School of Kinesiology, Recreation & Sport at Western Kentucky University. In 2011, he was working with students at another school when their service project—an exercise class for older adults—failed to attract a single participant. “We discovered that nobody showed up because everybody was down the hall playing bingo,” Jason says. “That’s when it hit me. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em,” and the marriage between bingo and exercise was born. Within a week, the class had 15 participants.

Photograph by Gary Kessler

Bingocize® is a successful preventative health promotion program designed to increase the physical fitness, health knowledge, and social engagement of older adults.

Walking the Walk Since this first session in Owensboro, Kentucky, the program has grown to encompass dozens of communities and universities throughout the state. Organizations in other states have also added Bingocize programs. Jason and WKU’s Jean Neils-Strunjas, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, now manage the program with assistance from other WKU experts. Research faculty in Poland, Finland, and England are participating with a mobile app version of the program.

Photograph by Gary Kessler

The Bingocize Experience Classes are tailored to residents’ needs and abilities, explains Dustin Falls, Project Director, CMP, Bingocize Project. The ECH program embraces the exercise and social interaction component of Bingocize. Movements are interspersed throughout two bingo games, explains Tracy Graham, Director of Life Enrichment at ECH and lead Bingocize facilitator. Residents may be encouraged to do a series of exercises (such as seated leg extensions, head turns, and hand exercises) for general range of motion, flexibility, and strength.

According to Dustin, the overall goal is to “improve the quality of life for residents,” noting that

exercise and movement, particularly the interruption of game play, challenges participants on a physical and cognitive level. “Exercise is one of the few things that we know can improve global cognition,” Jason says. Tracy and other staff at ECH record the progress of Bingocize participants.

The Social Benefits of Bingocize Bingocize also helps to increase social engagement for residents, essential in warding off loneliness and depression, Jason says. And when students are involved with Bingocize, there’s an intergenerational bonus as well. “There’s more interaction, more communication, more positive energy,” Dustin says. In addition, students who have had little contact with older adults are eased into the environment in a fun way, “bridging the gap for people who may be apprehensive or timid to come into a care center,” Dustin explains.

Tracy notes that ECH has incorporated Bingocize into its mentor program, which further encourages students and residents to build relationships. “We have had students who…continue to come here and keep that relationship with those residents. That in itself is awesome.”

Research shows that physical exercise—particularly aerobic exercise—helps maintain cognitive abilities.

Summer 201 8 Linkage 17

Walking the Walk

Refresh Your Soul 2018 Love & Positive Aging

T

18 Linkage Summer 2018

The Five Love Languages guru Gary Chapman challenged the RYS crowd to enrich their aging experience by discovering and speaking the love language of the important people in their lives.

The annual Refresh Your Soul conference benefits Parish Health Ministry, an ERS outreach service to the community. The conference was sponsored by presenting sponsor TriHealth, title sponsor The Alzheimer’s Association—Greater Cincinnati, in partnership with Xavier University (XU). This year marks PHM’s 20th year of partnering with churches to promote health and wellbeing through a wide range of programs. The PHM mission is to promote a wholeness of body, mind, and spirit.

This year’s speakers gave Refresh Your Soul attendees plenty of new tools to achieve that goal.

—Kathleen Doane Save the Date: Refresh Your Soul 2019 will be held on Monday, March 18, 2019, at the Cintas Center on the campus of Xavier University (XU). The keynote speaker for the conference is Kathryn Spink, the biographer for Mother Teresa. Also presenting are Rabbi Abie Ingber, XU’s executive director of the Center for Interfaith Community Engagement, and humorist Kay Frances.

Photograph by Gary Kessler

he Refresh Your Soul 2018 conference delivered powerful lessons about positive aging to more than 650 healthcare professionals, caregivers, and seniors who filled the Cintas Center on March 12. The Beatles may have proclaimed “Love Is All You Need” back in the ’70s, but keynote speaker Dr. Gary Chapman told those gathered that the key to getting and receiving love is utilizing its languages, the basis for his book, The Five Love Languages.

“As we age, and at any age, if we feel loved, life is beautiful,” he said in his speech. “The key is speaking each others’ primary love language.”

It was an emotional ride that participants will long remember as Chapman challenged his audience to utilize each of the five languages—quality time, acts of service, physical touch, words of affirmation, and gifts—to make the ultimate connections with loved ones, friends, and coworkers.

The conference also featured healthy aging expert Kay Van Norman, whose presentation “Running With Scissors” encouraged everyone to shed preconceived notions about fragility and aging. It is essential to overcome the notion that we naturally become weaker with physical limitations by committing to an exercise regimen to maintain strength and flexibility.

Dr. Wendy Rogers spoke on “Technology for Healthy Aging,” explaining how robotics and other technological advances are addressing issues associated with getting older. A VIP luncheon featured Liz Tassone, who led a discussion on “Aging with Spirit.”

Gary Chapman returned to wrap up the conference with “Forgiveness and Healthy Aging,” a heartwarming talk on the importance of understanding what a person needs to hear in an apology. One audience member’s comments reflected the thoughts of many: “I’ll be thinking about forgiveness for a very long time after hearing Dr. Chapman.”

Walking the Walk

Donor Spotlight: Dan Meyer (1927–2016)

Honoring a True Servant Leader

T

he generous gift from former Deupree House resident, the late Dan Meyer, to the ERS Capital Campaign has inspired us to name The Meyer Family Rehabilitation Center at Marjorie P. Lee. A total of $250,000 was donated to the overall $4.25 million Capital Campaign, and it went toward the rehab center, which has doubled in size. The donation was actually a family affair. Dan made an initial planned gift to the fund. Then his daughter Jennifer Angus and his two surviving sisters, Marian Allen and Corky Ladd (a current resident at Marjorie P. Lee), also contributed. Finally, Mike Schueler, former Board member and family friend, also contributed to make this wonderful naming opportunity happen.

Dan, a greater Cincinnati native, married his high school sweetheart, Ginny Lee. They would have been married for 56 years and Dan never stopped loving her, even as Alzheimer’s disease stole Ginny’s memory of Dan. He worked for a mortgage company, as an executive for Baldwin United and then Vanguard Financial Company. He took risks and benefited from many of the risks he took. Dan continued to work in his office in Mariemont until just before his death in 2016 at the age of 89.

His life was full of service to others as well. He was a Sergeant in the United States Army during WWII, and he graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in engineering. He was a trustee of the Ohio Presbyterian Homes, Episcopal Retirement Services, the Foundation Board of Deaconess Hospital, and the Disabled American Veterans. He was also a 33rd degree Mason. Dan received his Juris Doctorate from Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University.

Dan’s sister Corky Ladd remembers Dan for his “warm and engaging personality, which won him countless friends from all walks of life. He was an intensely loyal and caring friend who often assisted people quietly, behind-the-scenes, never taking or asking for credit.” Those of us who knew him at Deupree House would agree. —Feoshia Davis

For more information about donating to Episcopal Retirement Services, please contact Susan Cleverly, Manager of Foundation Relations and the Annual Fund, at 513.979.2309 or scleverly@erslife.org, or simply visit ersdonate.org

Summer 201 8 Linkage 19

NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID CINCINNATI, OH PERMIT NO. 5782

3870 Virginia Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45227-3427 www.EpiscopalRetirement.com

t a e G r a G t s e by h T GALA A

Presented by

join us for our ALL NEW 2018 special event to support the Good Samaritan Mission Fund!

Thursday, September 20th $175 each

The Renaissance Hotel, Downtown Cincinnati

$125 for ERS Residents & Staff

$2,500 for a table of 10

For more information, contact Kim Harrison at 513.979.2306 or by email at kharrison@erslife.org or visit the website: episcopalretirement.com/gala-2018